Massa Marittima

When thinking of art and culture in Maremma the beautiful Massa Marittima comes to mind. Located in Grosseto’s hinterland, the town is surrounded by the gentle hills of Maremma, overlooking the Gulf of Follonica. Thanks to its architectural opulence Massa Marittima is considered the capital of the art of Maremma. It was anciently defined as Massa Metallorum, “the town of metals”, for the abundance of the copper and silver mines in its surroundings. The town hosted countless Tuscan noble families as well as numerous artists who over time contributed to make it even more charming. Massa Marittima is also widely known for its typical products, more specifically for the production of Monteregio wine, an excellence of the Italian wine scene.

TO SEE

A place of great beauty is certainly piazza Garibaldi, dominated by the famous Cathedral of San Cerbone, religious icon of the local community, Palazzo del Podestà, dating from the 13th century and by the 14th-century palaces Palazzo dei Conti di Biserno and Palazzo Comunale. Other interesting structures of the historical centre of Massa Marittima are the public fountain Fonte dell’Abbondanza, the old Mint and Porta dei Silici, the city gate separating the old town from the new one; the Sienese fortress and Torre del Candeliere, built by the town’s population as a symbol of independence in 1228, are also fascinating sites to visit. As far as the town’s museums are concerned, the Mining Museum, the Sacred Art Museum and the exhibition dedicated to the Museum of Art and History of Mining are all definitely worth a visit. In the surroundings, although not properly in Massa Marittima, Lago dell’Accesa also deserves to be seen, as it is the most important archaic settlement ever discovered in Tuscany.